Moisture-testing means for paper-making machines



F. A; PESCHL MOISTURE wms w me MEANS FoR TPAPER MAKING rmcruuss April 51927.

Filed June 22. 1926 4 Shets-Shee t 1 ATTUFNZYS A ril 5 1927.

p F. A. PESCHL MOISTURE TESTING MEANS FOR IAPER MAKING MACHINES FiledJune 22, 1926 4 Shets-S'neet 2 A ril 5 1927.

p F. A. PESCHL MOISTURE TESTING MEANS FOR PAPER MAKING MACHINES 4Shets-Sheet 5 iled June 22, 1926 Aprll 5, 1927. F. A PESCHL a 9 MOISTUREmswme MEAus FOB PAPER MAKING mom-mas Filed Jun; 22. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet4 Patented Apr. 5, 1927.

UNITED STATES FRANK A. PESCHTJ, OF JACKSON HEIGHTS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORTO INTERNATIONAL PAPER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW .YORK. I

I MOISTURE-TESTING MEANS FOR PAPER-MAKING MACHINESJ Application filedJune 22, 1926. Serial No. 117,662.

This invention relates to paper making machines, and has reference moreparticularly to means cooperative with the travcling ,moist paper web,to indicate the moisture content of the same. Knowledge, available atany time, of the amount ofnioisture content in the web at any givenpoint, is very desirable and important, since it discloses to theattendant or those in charge of the operation of the paper makingmachine, the condition of operation of the presses, the felts, thesuction apparatus, etc. It shows if the presses are unevenly orotherwise improperly weighted, or if the felts are still high in theirwater removing qualities, as they should be. It shows also how muchmoisture enters the driers, and indicates various other conditions ofoperation, the knowledge of which makes it possible to effecteconomy inthe operation of the machine and the maximum capacity in production.

therethrough of a current of electricity, which flow will be directlyproportional to the moisture content of the web; and in accordance withthe present invention, advantage is taken of this fact by the provisionof a contactor member or shoe of improved form and construction, whichis provided with spaced contact plates or surfaces adapted to rest onand contact with the traveling moist paper web. and whichcontactsurfaces are connected in an electric circuit supplied with a suitableelectric current. the sand circuit including an electric-currentindieating instrument for indicating the amount of current passing. Theelectric current will flow from one contact surface of the contactorshoe to the other surface through I the greater the current flow andvice versa.

Also in accordance with the invention, 'means are provided, cooperativewith the electric current being measured, for coin -'pensating fordifferences and variations in the acidity of the paper stock, so thatnotwithstanding .suc'h variations in acidity,

which frequently occur in the operation of; paper making machines, atrue and accurate indication of the moisture content will be given.

The form and arrangement of the parts of the mechanism embodying theabove de scribed characteristics, will be described in, i

, thereto.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of the third pressroll, the baby drier cylinder, and the first two maindrier cylinders.and showing the cont actor shoe applied to cooperate with the stretch ofthe paper web in its passage from the press rolls k to the baby drier.The present invention is based on the re- SiSiflDCGWlllCll a paper weboffers to the flow Fig.3}; is a sectional view of the contactor shoe anda portion of the paper web, showing diagrammatically the passage of theelectric current from one contact surface to the other, through theintervening portion of the web. 7

Fig. 4 is a front elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the con'tactorshoe and itssupport, certain parts being broken a'Wa'yto better show theconstruction.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional elevation through the lower portion'ofFig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the contactor shoe.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view of one form of means for the automaticcompensation of variations in acidity of the paper stock.

Fig. 8 is a similar view of a form of acidity compensating means inwhich the compensation setting is effected manually.

Fig. 9 is a similar view of a different form of manually operatedcompensating means.-

Referring to the drawings:

Referring to Figs. 1 to 6, the paper making machine there showncomprises the usual flow box 1, the forming wire 2 in position toreceive the paper stock or pulp from the flow box, the three presses 3,4 and 5, the baby drier cylinder 6, and the main drier cylinder 7. 1

8 designates the contactor shoe, shown as restingon the stretch 9 ofpaper web where it passes from the third press -5 to thebaby driercylinder 6, this being/the point in the machine where prefer to locatethe. shoe for the application of the testing current.

connected with them, electric conductors 10 'and .11 respectively,constitutingan electric circui'tavhich is supplied with. an electriccurrent from a suitable source A indicated diagrammatically in Fig. 1,said circuit having connectedfin it an electric-current indicatinginstrumeiifi ii such for instance as a galvanoineter, ampere-meter,milliampcre-meter, or the like. The instrument/in the form shown, iswrovided' with a pointer b actuated electricall by a coil 6 connected inthe circuit constituted by the conductors 10 and 11.

In the operation of the. device,-the insulated contactor plates willmaintain electric contact with the traveling moist pa er'web, and theelectric'current will-flow ti om one contact late to the other andthrough the intervemn section of thex'web, and the amount 0 currentpassing'will-"be' indicated by the indicating'instrument,the lattershowing a greater or less. flow of current accordmg to themoistureicontent of the webyth greater the-moisture content, the greaterthe flow of current, and vice versa. fr The detailed construction andformlofthe contactor shoe and manner-ofsupportin the samein-the machineis best shown'in igs.

4, 5 and 6, and will nowbe described": The contactor shoe is in'the formofa-block or body 12formed of some insulating material such as bakeliteor other-suitablecompose tion or material. The block is elongatedin thedirection of travel of the paper web and is curved on its under surface,which presents a flat central portion13, and upwardly curved endportions 14, the purpose of which will presently appear. The contactorplates 8' and 8 before alluded to are set in the flat portion of theblock and are arranged side y side parallel to each other with spaces 15between adjacent plates, athere being in the present instance two plates8 and three plates 8", altematingwith each other. These plates arevformed of some metal of good electric conducting quality such ascopper, and their under surfaces are exposed on the un der surface ofthe block so as to contact electrically withthe surface of the paper'web. The plates are fastened firmly in the block by'merns 'of fasteningscrews 16 extending downwardly through the block and engaged at theirends with the respective plates at opelectrically connected together bya metallic connecting strip 18 attached to the bolts 16 at one end ofthe plates; and the plates 8" are similarly connected togetherelectrically by a metallic connecting strip 17 attached to the bolts 16at the opposite ends of the plates 8 as best shown in Fig. 6, theelectric conductor 10 being connected with the connecting strip 18, andthe conductor 11 with the other strip' so as to connect the two seriesof contact plates in the electric circuit including the measuringinstrument B.

v "The contactor block 12 is sup orted in the .maehine, as will be morein ly described later, so as to rest with a floating action on thetraveling web, pressing the same down gently in a slightly curved form,which action is permitted by the curved end portions of the" block asabove referred'to; and in such floating action of the block, the degreeof pressure on the Web will not vary the area i of contact therewithofthe contactor plates,

since said platesare confined to the central flat portion of thespoke,'and without regard to tie degree of pressure-ofthe block, theplates will always contactthronghout their, entire extent with the web.This insures a reliable and uniform action 6f the parts, and avoids thenecessity of observing any par-.- ticular accuracy or nicety inthe-setting of the contactor for operation. I y

The floating action of the contactor shoe same to an overhead support.19b means of a transverse pivot bolt 20 which-1s extended 'through abracket 21 fixed at its ends to the ends of the block, and throughears'2211c, pending from said overhead su ort,*.vhere'- y the blockmay rockvertica y relatit' 'ely to saidsupportabout'a transverse axis dis,-posed centrally of the block, said' rocking motion being in a planedisposed in the di rection of travel of the paper web. The overheadsupport 19 'is provided withlaterally extending arms 23"co'nflected toand projecting in opposite directionsfrom, the depending cars 22, fronwhicharms-extend ppwardly, two fixed vertical-gi iding rods 24 extendingloosely through guiding openings in a cl-amping platew25. The plate'25is clamped to the upper sides of two parallel spaced supporting bars 26extending verselv across them'achi-ne between e press roll hand babydrier', which'bars are'fixed' referred a), is secured by connecting thetrahsa at, their ends to the rear ends of bracket arms'27 which extendforwardly and are c nnec'ted at their ends to a transverse beam 2%fixedtolthe' upper ends of standards 29 r disposed at the sides of themachine, all as shown in Fig. 2. a.

The plate 25 is so clamped to theps up porting bars 26 as to permit ofthe'laterai adjustment of the contactor shoe along the supportingbarstodifferent positions inthe Width of the paper web, so that themoisture content at any point in the web may be 'determined and thus anaverage for the entire lateral extent of the web arrived at. The

clamping of the plate to bring about this, connectingcontact plates 8 insaid circuit,

object is effected in the present instance by means of a clamping frameapplied to the undersides-of the supporting bars, from the ends of whichframe, clamping bolts 31 extend upwardly, between the supporting barsand through the ends of the clamping plate and have clamping nuts 32screwed on their upper ends, which nuts when screwed up will engage theupper side of the clamping plate.

In effecting the adjustment of the contactor shoe laterally .of thepaper Web as above referred to, I prefer to employ a horizontal ad'usting screw 33 mounted for rotation in earings in the rear ends of thearms 27, which screw is engaged in a threaded hole in a lug 34 extendingrearwardly from the clamping plate 25, the said screw being providedwith a crank 35 for turning it. It will be understood that in adjusting;the

contactor shoe laterally by the screw33, the

clamping plate 25 will'first be released by unscrewing the nuts 32,which. after the adjustment has been made, will again be tightened up tohold ,the parts in their adjusted position.

The overhead support 19 is so connected with the clamping plate that thesupport and consequently the contactor shoe may be adjusted vertically,and this in order to vary the degree of pressure of the shoe on thepaper web to meet the conditionsencountered in the practical operationof the machme. 'lhisadjustment is effected in the ductor 11 is connectedto one end of the contact strip 18 by a binding nut {10 applied to theupper extended end of, the fastening screw 16 at that end of ,the strip.thereby so that with the contactor shoe in operative position and withthe contact plates 8 and 8 inengagement with the traveling paper web,the circuit will flow through and between the adjacent plates and theportions of the web bridging the spaces between the plates, and theamount of the current flow, controlled and detern'iined by the degree ofmoisture in the web, will be indicated by the instrument B included insaid circuit as hereinbefore described. A

It will be understood from the foregoing.

description that thetesting current does not traverse any metal part ofthe machine or machine frame. as it is not grounded through the machine,but passes [directly from one contact plate of the coniactor shoe to theother, and therefore is entirely independent uniformly and withoutinterruption. and a reliahle indication of the same by the indicatinginstrument will be secured.

The peculiar design of the contactor shoe ,as described, exposes to thepaperweb. a definite surfaceiof'contact.of the contactor plates, and thelower surface of the shoe is,

present instance by means of a vertical ad-. as before explained, soshaped as to press the justing, screw 36 engaged in. a central threadedhole inthe clamping plate and swiveled at its lower end as at 36" in thewerhead support 19, the said screw having a hand wheel 37 fixed to itsupper end for turning it in eflectingthe adjustments. A lock nut 38 isapplied to the screw and is adapted, when screwed up, to bind againstthe upper side of the clamping plate and thereby lock the screw in itsadjusted position. It will be-understood from the construction describedthat by turning the adone end of the} connecting strip 18 by a bind ingnut 39 applied to the upper extended end of the fastening screw 16at.that end of the strip, whereb the contact plates 8 are con Dectedinthe elctriccircuit; and the con- .web down in a slight depression orcurve, and without regard to the degree of pressure of the shoe on thepaper web, the area of contact of the plates in engagement with the webwill always be the same. As the paper web is thin in cross section, itcan pass only a certain amount of current, and therefore it is evidentthat it is not necessary for the contact shoe to press down v ry hardupon the web'in order to cause n12 current to pass therethrough.

The instrument for indicating theelirrent, will be preferably calibratedin percent moisture, and may be of the direct reading! and recordingtype, and in the form of a galvan'ometer, ampereymeter,milliamperemeter, or other suitable form of instrument for-indicatingthe passage of an electric'current.

As the contactor shoelcan be moved acrossthe machine as hereinbeforedescribed. the {moisture content in any part of the sheet may begdetermined. and ghe average throughout .the lateral extent f the sheetarrived at. a Or this average determmed. by

1 content, I have devised different forms of.

a series of contactors fixed at difierent points in the width of thesheet; or groups of con-' tactorscan be made up extending'partiallyor'entirely across the machine.

' It frequently happens, in the operation of paper making machines, thatthe acidity" v d 1ty in the stock. This device requires for its of thestock fed to the forming wire an going to make up the paper web, willvary, and in order to prevent such variations in acidity from causing afalse indication by the measuring instrument of the moisturecompensating devices to meet this condition, which are illustrateddiagrammatically in Figs. 1, 7, 8- and 9, and will nowbe described.

On reference to Fig. 1 it will be seen that there is provided a smalltank or vessel 42, in which circulates the paper stock from the flow box1, through pipes 43 and 44. Immersed in the stock in this tank are twoelectrode plates 45 and: 46. An electric conductor 47 is connected'atone'end with the electrode plate 45, and is connected at its I otherend to the conductor 11 at a point be yond the instrument B; and anelectric condoctor 48 is connected at one end to the electrode plate 46,and at its other end to the conductor 11 on the other side of theinstrument B,'and between it and thecon; tactor shoe, these conductorsthus constitut ing a branch circuit of the main circuit con: stituted byconduc'torslO and 11. By this arrangement the increased flow of thecurrent, due to the acid condition of the stock,

is prevented from acting on the instrument B and causing said instrumentto indicate a higher percentage of moisture in the. web.

than actually'exists, the eiicess current being diverted by conductors48 and 47 through the tank 42 and around the instrument, so as not topass through and .act on the same". In this manner, whatever excess flowthere is of the current due to variations in acidity, is prevented fromacting on the indicating instrument, and the latter will thereforeindicate the true moisture content w1thout .regard to the degree ofacidity ex isting. i In Fig. 7 is illustrated another form ofcompensating device, In this case the arrangement is the same as thatjust described,

except; that the conductor 47 instead of be- 1 ing shunted around theinstrument, is connected with a coil 49 incorporated in the instrumentand wound in a direction opposite that of the actuating coilb of theinstrument, so as to rippose the action of the coil 6 in operating heneedle or pointer b. In this case the excess of current instead of beingshunted around the instrument as in that first described, is caused toact on the instrument with a compensating effect.

In a furthermodified arrangement ofcompensating-device shown in Fig. 8,the tank the circuit according to the increase of acidsetting, aPFC-kfiOWlGdgG of the amount of acidity eXlStl11g.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 9 1llustrat-:

ing still another form, is based on the 'principle of operation of thatshown in F1g.8

1. e.. a resistance regulated by hand is thrown in the circuit and theamount of resistance determinedby a pre-kn'owledgeof the degree ofacidity existing. In this case however the resistance, is c nnected inseries in the circuit, a coh'duc or 53 leading directly from thecontactor shoe to the switch lever 52, and a conductor 47 leadingdirectly from the resistance. 51 to the coil of the instrument B I y Inall of the d'ilierent forms of compensating devices or arrangementsdescribed; means are provided whereby the increased flow of the current,due to increase in acidity, is-prevented from acting on themeasuringinstrument to cause'it to indicate a false moisture content, whieh'wouldotherwise be indicated by reason of the action of the increased flow ofcurrenton said instrument.

.In the foregoing description and accompanying drawings, I have setforth my in;

vention in the particular detailed form which I prefer; to adopt. 'Itwill be'pnderstood' however that these details may be variously 4changed and modified, without departing from the limits of theinvention; and that the invention is not limited to any particular 'formor construction of the parts, except in so far as such limitations areexpressed inthe claims. 3

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: r i

1. In a paper making machine, the-combination of means forsupporting'the traveling 1 paper web, a contactor member provided withspaced contact surfaces insulated fromv each other, means for supportingsaid member in fixed relation to the travel of th'e'vleb and with saidsurfaces in contact therewith,

paper web and spaced transversely of its path of travel, an electriccircuit including said contact surfaces, and an electric-current cuit. I

3. In a paper making machine, the combination of means for supportingthe traveling paper web, a contactocmember provided with spaced contactplates insulated frorn each other, means for supporting said memher infixed relation to the travel of the paper web--and with the plates incon actwith the web and parallel with its line of travel, an electriccircuit including said contact plates and an electric-current indicatinginstrument included in said circuit.

In a paper making machine, the combination of means for supporting'thetraveling paper W825 a contactor member provided with spac contactsurfaces insulated from 'each other, and means for. giving floatingsupport to said member on the paper web."

with the said surfaces in contact therewith; an electric "ircuitincluding said contact surfaces, an electric-current indicatinginstrument included in said circuit.

5. In a paper making machine, the combination of means for supportingthe traveling paper web, a contactor member provided with spaced contactsurfaces insulated from each other, means for supporting said contactorfor rocking motion over the traveling paper Web, with said surfaces incontact therewith, an electric circuit including said contact surfaces,and an electric-current indicating instrument included in said circuit.

6. In a paper making machine, the combination of means for supportingthe traveling paperweb, a contactor member provided with spaced contactsurfaces insulated from eac other, means for supporting said con--tactpr to rock vertically about a horizontal axis extending transverselyof the direction Y of ravel of the paper web, with said conthe blockover the traveling paper web with the exposed surfaces of the platesiucon tact with said web, an electric circuit including said contactplates, and an electricdurrent indicating instrument included in saidcircuit.

8. In a paper making machine, the combination of means for supportingthe traveling paper web, a contactor member comprising a supportingblock having its under surface flat at the central portion and curved atits ends upwardly to ride on the paper web,

and contact plates set in said block in spaced indicatinginstrumentIncluded in said cir-insulated relations with their undersurfaces exposed at the central flat portion of the block, means forsupportin the block over the paper web with the p ates in contacttherewith, an electric circuit including said plates, and anelectriccurrent indicating instrument included in said circuit.

9. In a paper making machine, the com- .of means for supporting thetravel- :ing paper 'web, a contactor member comprising a supportingblock, a plurality of spaced contact -plates set therein and insulatedfrom each other and exposed on the underside of the block, said platesbeing electrically connected together in two series, with the plates ofone series alternating with those of the other series, means forsupporting the block over the paper web with the plates in'contacttherewith, an electric circuit including saidtwo series of plates, andan electric-current indicating instrument included in said circuit.

10. In a. paper making machine, the combination of means for supportingthe traveling paper web, a contactor member provided with spaced contactsurfaces insulated from each other,-means for-supporting said memher.over the paper web, with said surfaces in' contact therewith, means foradjusting said contactor member vertically relative to the paper web, anelectric circuit including said contact surfaces, and anelectric-current indicating circuit.

11. In a paper making machine, the combination of means {or supportingthe traveling paper web, a contactor member provided with spaced contactplates insulated from each' other, a support for said contactor memberadjustable transversel of the paper instrument included in said ticallyin its support to and from the paperweb, an electric circuit includingsaid contact plates, and an electric-current indicat ing instrumentincluded in said circuit.

-web,'means for ad usting sai member ver 12. In a paper makiiig machine,the com- I 'bination of means for supporting the traveling paper web,a'fixed guide extending horizontally above and across the web, acontactor member adjustable on said ide and provided with contactsurfaces 9. apted to contact with the traveling web, means on 4 3 gaginthe contactor to adjust the same on its guide, an electric circuitincluding said contact surfaces, and an electric-current indicatinginstrument included in said circuit.

13. In a papermaking machine, the combination of means for supportingthe traveling paperb, and means for indicating the moisture content ofthe paper web, said instrctch of the paper web at a point where saidstrip brid es the space between the last press and the baby drier.

14-.,,.ln a paper making machine, the comklicating means being appliedto act on the bination of means tor supporting the traveling paper Web,and means independent of thewebsupporting means for indicating themoisture content of the paper web, saidgindicating means beingapplied'to act on the 4 upper'side of a stretch of .the paper webbetween two spaced supporting points.

15. In a paper makin machine, the combination of means for su portingthe traveling paper web, electrically operated means cooperating withthe web for indicating the moisture content thereof, and electricallyactuated compensating means for said indicating means operatingautomatically in association with the indlcating means. to preventvariations in acidity of the stock from causing a false indication.

. 16. In a paper making machine, the combination of means for supportingthe traveling paper web, a member provided with contac t plates tocontact with the paper web, an

electric circuit in'cludings'aid plates to 'pass a current ofelectricity through the web, an electric-current indicating instrumentincluded in said circuit, an electric circuit branching from said firstmentioned circuit and operating automatically in association I with theindicatin' means to prevent variations in acidity o the stock fromcausing a false indicatiomand means whereby the resistance in saidbranch circuit may be varied in accordance with variations in theacidity of the paper stock;

17 In a paper making machine,-the com-' bination of means forsupport-ing'the traveling paper web, a member provided with contactplates to contact with the paper web,

an electric circuit including said plates tobination of-a flow box tocontain a supply of the paper stock, means for supporting the travelingpaper web, a member provided with contact plates to contact with saidweb,

an electric circuit including said plates to pass an electric circuitthrough the web, an electric-current indicating instrument in cluded insaid circuit, a tank in communication'with the flow box and suppliedwith paper stock therefrom, electrodesimmersed in the stock in saidtank, and an electric circuit branching from the first mentioned circuitand including said electrodes.

In testimony whereof, I have aflixed my signature hereto.

FRANK A. PESCHL.

